FORM 10-K
| x | ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
| For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2003 |
OR
| o | TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
| For the transition period from_______________to_______________ |
Commission File Number 1-13647
DOLLAR THRIFTY AUTOMOTIVE GROUP, INC.
| Delaware (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) |
73-1356520 (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) |
5330 East 31st Street, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74135
(Address of principal executive offices and zip code)
Registrants telephone number, including
area code: (918) 660-7700
| Title of each class: Common Stock, $.01 par value |
Name of each exchange on which registered: New York Stock Exchange |
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days: Yes x No o
Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant's knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K: x
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an accelerated filer (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act): Yes x No o
The aggregate market value of the voting and non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates of the registrant as of June 30, 2003, the last business day of the registrant's most recently completed second fiscal quarter, based on the closing price of the stock on the New York Stock Exchange on such date was $451,105,059.
The number of shares outstanding of the registrants Common Stock as of February 27, 2004 was 25,253,410.
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
Portions of the definitive Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held on May 21, 2004, are incorporated by reference in Parts II and III.
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DOLLAR THRIFTY AUTOMOTIVE GROUP, INC.
FORM 10-K
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PART I |
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ITEM 1. |
BUSINESS |
4 |
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ITEM 2. |
PROPERTIES |
19 |
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ITEM 3. |
LEGAL PROCEEDINGS |
19 |
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ITEM 4. |
SUBMISSION
OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SECURITY HOLDERS |
20 |
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PART II |
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ITEM 5. |
MARKET FOR REGISTRANT'S
COMMON EQUITY AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS |
20 |
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ITEM 6. |
SELECTED
FINANCIAL DATA |
21 |
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ITEM 7. |
MANAGEMENT'S
DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATION |
23 |
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ITEM 7A. |
QUANTITATIVE
AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK |
36 |
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ITEM 8. |
FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA |
37 |
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ITEM 9. |
CHANGES IN AND
DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE |
67 |
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ITEM 9A. |
CONTROLS AND
PROCEDURES |
67 |
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PART III |
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ITEM 10. |
DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE
OFFICERS OF THE REGISTRANT |
67 |
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ITEM 11. |
EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION |
67 |
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ITEM 12. |
SECURITY OWNERSHIP
OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS |
|
|
67 |
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ITEM 13. |
CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS
AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS |
68 |
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ITEM 14. |
PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT
FEES AND SERVICES |
68 |
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PART IV |
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ITEM 15. |
EXHIBITS, FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES,
AND REPORTS ON FORM 8-K |
|
|
68 |
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SIGNATURES |
84 |
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INDEX TO EXHIBITS |
85 |
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Some of the statements contained herein under Business and Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operation may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Although Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group, Inc. believes such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and certain factors could cause results to differ materially from current expectations. These factors include: price and product competition; economic and competitive conditions in markets and countries where our companies customers reside and where our companies and their franchisees operate; airline travel patterns; changes in capital availability or cost; costs and other terms related to the acquisition and disposition of automobiles; costs of conducting business and changes in structure or operations; and certain regulatory and environmental matters. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties, among others, materialize, actual results could vary from those estimated, anticipated or projected. Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group, Inc. undertakes no obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements to reflect changed assumptions, the occurrence of unanticipated events or changes to future operating results over time.
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| ITEM 1. | BUSINESS |
Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation ("DTG"), owns DTG Operations, Inc. ("DTG Operations"), Dollar Rent A Car, Inc. and Thrifty, Inc. Thrifty, Inc. owns Thrifty Rent-A-Car System, Inc. and Thrifty Car Sales, Inc. ("Thrifty Car Sales"), which operates a franchised retail used car sales network. Thrifty Rent-A-Car System, Inc. owns Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group Canada, Inc. ("DTG Canada"). Effective January 1, 2003, DTG began operating under a new corporate structure which realigned the prior brand structure to a functional structure, combining the management of operations and administrative functions for both the Dollar and Thrifty brands. DTG Operations operates company-owned stores under the Dollar brand and the Thrifty brand, provides vehicle leasing to franchisees and operates reservation centers for both brands. Thrifty Rent-A-Car System, Inc. and Dollar Rent A Car, Inc. conduct franchising activities and sales and marketing activities for their respective brands. The Company has two additional subsidiaries, Rental Car Finance Corp. and Dollar Thrifty Funding Corp., which are special purpose financing entities and have been appropriately consolidated in the financial statements of the Company. Dollar Rent A Car, Inc., the Dollar brand and DTG Operations operating under the Dollar brand are individually and collectively referred to hereafter as "Dollar". Thrifty, Inc., Thrifty Rent-A-Car System, Inc., Thrifty Car Sales, the Thrifty brand and DTG Operations operating under the Thrifty brand are individually and collectively referred to hereafter as "Thrifty". DTG, Dollar and Thrifty and each of their subsidiaries are individually or collectively referred to herein as the "Company", as the context may require. Dollar and Thrifty and their respective independent franchisees operate the Dollar and Thrifty vehicle rental systems. The Dollar and Thrifty brands represent a value-priced rental vehicle generally appealing to leisure customers, including foreign tourists, and to small businesses and independent business travelers. As of December 31, 2003, Dollar and Thrifty had 823 locations in the United States and Canada of which 310 were company-owned stores and 513 were locations operated by franchisees. While Dollar and Thrifty have franchisees in countries outside the United States and Canada, revenues from these franchisees have not been material to results of operations of the Company.
In the United States, Dollars main focus is operating company-owned stores located in major airports, and it derives substantial revenues from leisure and tour package rentals. Thrifty focuses on serving both the airport and local markets operating through a network of company-owned stores and franchisees. Dollar derives a majority of its U.S. revenues from providing rental vehicles and services directly to rental customers, while Thrifty has historically derived its revenues primarily from franchising fees and services including vehicle leasing. However, as part of a new strategy, Thrifty is now shifting to operating more company-owned stores by acquiring franchisee locations in key markets. Dollar and Thrifty incur the costs of operating company-owned stores and their revenues are directly affected by changes in rental demand and pricing.
The Company is the successor to Pentastar Transportation Group, Inc., which was formed in 1989 to acquire and operate the rental car subsidiaries of Chrysler Corporation, now known as DaimlerChrysler Corporation (such entity and its subsidiaries and members of its affiliated group are hereinafter referred to as DaimlerChrysler). DTG Operations, formerly known as Dollar Rent A Car Systems, Inc., was incorporated in 1965. Thrifty Rent-A-Car System, Inc. was incorporated in 1950 and Dollar Rent A Car, Inc. was incorporated in December 2002. Thrifty, Inc. was incorporated in December 1998.
The Company makes available free of charge on or through its Internet web site its annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and all amendments to such reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 as soon as reasonably practicable after such material has been electronically filed with, or furnished to, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The Companys Internet address is http://www.dtag.com. The SEC also maintains a web site that contains all of the Companys filings at http://www.sec.gov.
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The Company has a code of business conduct, which is available on the Companys web site under the heading, About DTG. The Companys Board of Directors has adopted a corporate governance policy and committee charters, which are updated periodically and can be found on the Companys web site under the heading, Corporate Governance. A copy of the code of business conduct, the corporate governance policy and the charters are available upon request to the Companys headquarters as listed on the front of this Form 10-K, attention Investor Relations department.
The U.S. daily vehicle rental industry has two principal markets: the airport market and the local market. Vehicle rental companies that focus on the airport market rent primarily to business and leisure travelers. Vehicle rentals from airport locations account for the largest portion of vehicle rentals in the United States. Companies focusing on the local market rent primarily to persons who need a vehicle periodically for personal or business use or who require a temporary replacement vehicle. Rental companies also sell used vehicles and ancillary products such as refueling services and loss damage waivers to vehicle renters.
Vehicle rental companies typically incur substantial debt to finance their rental fleets. They also typically acquire a majority of their fleets under manufacturer residual value programs that repurchase or guarantee the resale value of Program Vehicles (hereinafter defined) at particular times in the future. This allows a rental company to determine in advance this important element of its cost structure. The Program Vehicles and the related obligations of the manufacturers are used as collateral for fleet financing.
The rental car industry has consolidated ownership of the top eight brands which are now owned by just five companies. Enterprise is privately held, Hertz is a subsidiary of Ford, Budget and Avis are operating subsidiaries of Cendant Corporation, Dollar and Thrifty are operating subsidiaries of the Company, and Alamo and National were purchased by Vanguard Car Rental USA, Inc., an affiliate of Cerberus Capital Management, L.P., a private investment group, from ANC Rental Corporation out of bankruptcy in 2003.
Prior to 2001, the car rental industry had experienced steady growth over the last decade driven by increased leisure and business airline passenger traffic and additional capacity in the hotel industry. During 2001, however, the travel industry suffered from the effects of an economic recession as well as the terrorist attacks of September 11. In the aftermath of September 11, airline passenger traffic dropped significantly and car rental companies reduced their fleet size in response to lower levels of demand. In 2003, airline passenger enplanements were down approximately 14% from 2000 peak levels. Car rental demand improved in the second half of 2003 as the economy picked up. Car rental pricing continued to be weak in 2003, but by the fourth quarter pricing was favorable compared to the prior year. The future growth of the car rental industry will be determined by general economic conditions and the level of leisure and business travel.
The Companys business is subject to seasonal variations in customer demand, with the summer vacation period representing the peak season for vehicle rentals. This general seasonal variation in demand, along with more localized changes in demand, causes the Company to vary its fleet size over the course of the year. In 2003, the Companys average monthly fleet size ranged from a low of approximately 85,000 vehicles in the first quarter to a high of approximately 131,000 vehicles in the third quarter.
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The Company has two value rental car brands, Dollar and Thrifty, with a strategy to operate company-owned stores in the top 75 airport markets and in key leisure destinations in the United States. In the United States, the Dollar and Thrifty brands remain separate, but operate under a single management structure and share vehicles, back-office employees and facilities, where possible. The Company also operates company-owned stores in the eight largest airports in Canada under its subsidiary, DTG Canada. In Canada, the company-owned stores are primarily co-branded.
The Company also offers franchise opportunities in smaller markets in the United States and Canada and in all markets internationally so that franchisees can operate under the Dollar or Thrifty trademarks or a more recent opportunity to dual franchise and operate both brands in one market.
Summary Operating Data of the Company
| Years Ended December 31, | |||||||||||||||||
| 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | |||||||||||||||
| (in thousands) | |||||||||||||||||
Revenues: |
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Revenue from U.S. and Canada company-owned stores |
$ | 1,019,476 | $ | 901,790 | $ | 824,962 | |||||||||||
Revenue from U.S. and Canada franchisees |
198,039 | 225,885 | 220,692 | ||||||||||||||
Revenue from international franchisees |
4,515 | 4,192 | 4,342 | ||||||||||||||
Other revenue |
5,856 | 1,327 | 174 | ||||||||||||||
Total revenues |
$ | 1,227,886 | $ | 1,133,194 | $ | 1,050,170 | |||||||||||
| As of December 31, | |||||||||||||||||
| 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | |||||||||||||||
Rental locations: |
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U.S. and Canada company- owned stores |
310 | 224 | 193 | ||||||||||||||
U.S. and Canada franchisee locations |
513 | 579 | 676 | ||||||||||||||
Franchisees: |
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U.S. and Canada |
248 | 243 | 273 | ||||||||||||||
International |
99 | 106 | 102 | ||||||||||||||
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Dollars main focus is serving the airport vehicle rental market, which is composed of business and leisure travelers. The majority of its locations are on or near airport facilities. At December 31, 2003, Dollar had 102 company-owned and franchised in-terminal locations. Dollar operates primarily through company-owned stores in the United States, and also licenses to independent franchisees which operate as a part of the Dollar brand system in the United States and abroad. Until 2003, all of its Canadian and international operations were franchised. In January 2003, Dollar re-acquired its master franchise rights in Canada and began acquiring franchisees in the eight largest airport markets of Calgary, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal, Halifax, Edmonton and Vancouver. Dollar successfully completed the acquisition of all franchisees in these top markets by January 2004, when it purchased the franchise operation in Vancouver.
As of December 31, 2003, Dollars vehicle rental system included 314 locations in the United States and Canada, consisting of 169 company-owned stores and 145 franchisee locations. Dollars total rental revenue generated by company-owned stores was $808 million for the year ended December 31, 2003.
Thriftys main focus historically has been on franchising and franchise support services. As part of a new strategy, Thrifty is shifting to operating more company-owned stores by acquiring franchisee locations in key markets. In 2003, Thrifty made significant progress in acquiring franchised operations and converting them to company-owned locations. Thrifty U.S. company-owned locations increased to 87 as of December 31, 2003 from 42 at December 31, 2002. Thriftys U.S. company-owned stores and its franchisees derive approximately 73% of their combined rental revenues from the airport market and approximately 27% from the local market. Thriftys approach of serving both the airport and local markets allows many of its franchisees and company-owned stores to have multiple locations to improve fleet utilization and profit margins by moving vehicles among locations to better address demand between these markets. As airports have begun to institute fees for vehicle rental companies located outside their properties or limited these companies access to airport travelers, Thriftys company-owned stores and its franchisees have been moving to in-terminal locations. At December 31, 2003, Thrifty had 94 company-owned and franchised in-terminal locations.
As of December 31, 2003, Thriftys vehicle rental system included 509 rental locations in the United States and Canada, consisting of 368 franchisee locations and 141 company-owned stores. Thriftys total rental revenue generated by company-owned stores was $206 million for the year ended December 31, 2003.
In 2003, the Company implemented a new operating model for U.S. Dollar and Thrifty company-owned stores. This operating model includes maintaining separate airport counters, bussing, reservations, marketing and all other customer contact activities, while using a single management team for both brands. In addition, this operating model includes sharing vehicles, back-office employees and service facilities, where possible. The Company believes this operating model will allow it to maximize the revenue available from each brand while achieving a cost structure that approaches that of operating a single brand.
As of December 31, 2003, the Company operates the Dollar brand in 53 and the Thrifty brand in 29 of the top 75 airport markets in the United States and operates both brands in 26 of these top 75 markets. During 2003, the Company added Thrifty in 21 and Dollar in two top 75 airport markets by acquiring franchisee locations or opening greenfield locations.
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Franchisee Acquisition Program
The Company is pursuing opportunities to acquire both Dollar and Thrifty franchise operations in the top 75 airport markets and other key leisure markets. Historically, Thrifty had established company-owned stores only upon the financial failure of a franchisee. Thrifty is now shifting to operating more company-owned stores by acquiring franchisee locations in key markets. In 2003, Thrifty implemented a strategy to transition from a franchise operation to a corporate operation in key U.S. markets.
During 2003, the Company acquired the Thrifty franchise operations in 14 key U.S. markets in Hawaii, including Honolulu and Maui, Manchester, Las Vegas, Memphis, Detroit, Cleveland, Atlanta, Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Houston, Hartford and Ontario, California. Dollar and Thrifty generally have the right of first refusal on the sale of a franchised operation.
Tour Rentals
Vehicle rentals by customers of foreign and U.S. tour operators generated approximately 19% of the Companys rental revenues for the year ended December 31, 2003. These rentals are usually part of tour packages that also include air travel and hotel accommodations. Rentals to tour customers have certain advantages. Tour customers tend to reserve vehicles earlier than other customers, rent them for longer periods and cancel reservations less frequently. The Company has significant relationships with foreign and domestic tour operators that resulted in $189 million in rental revenue during the year ended December 31, 2003.
Dollar is the exclusive U.S. vehicle rental company for all five of its largest tour operator accounts. The agreements for these five accounts expire from December 15, 2004 to April 30, 2009. No single tour operator account generated in excess of 3% of the Companys 2003 revenues.
Other
Dollar and Thrifty reduce costs through bulk purchasing, apply performance benchmarks and develop and implement best practice management techniques nationwide. Its company-owned store network also allows Dollar and Thrifty to offer customers one-way rentals in most markets.
As of December 31, 2003, the Company had vehicle rental concessions for company-owned stores at 106 airports in the United States. Its payments for these concessions are usually based upon a specified percentage of airport-generated revenue, subject to a minimum annual fee, and typically include fixed rent for terminal counters or other leased properties and facilities.
Supplemental Equipment and Optional Products Dollar and Thrifty rent ski racks, baby seats and other supplemental equipment and, subject to availability and applicable local law, make available loss damage waivers and insurance products related to the vehicle rental.
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Summary of U.S. Corporate Operations Data
| Years Ended December 31, | |||||||||||||||||
| 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | |||||||||||||||
| (in thousands) | |||||||||||||||||
Rental revenues: |
|||||||||||||||||
Dollar |
$ | 804,700 | $ | 780,760 | $ | 756,644 | |||||||||||
Thrifty |
157,006 | 76,884 | 28,884 | ||||||||||||||
Total rental revenues |
$ | 961,706 | $ | 857,644 | $ | 785,528 | |||||||||||
| As of December 31, | |||||||||||||||||
| 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | |||||||||||||||
Rental locations: |
|||||||||||||||||
Dollar |
142 | 138 | 134 | ||||||||||||||
Thrifty |
87 | 42 | 17 | ||||||||||||||
Total rental locations |
229 | 180 | 151 | ||||||||||||||
Canadian Operations
The Company operates in Canada through DTG Canada. Thrifty has historically had a strong corporate presence in Canada, and, during 2003, Dollar acquired its master franchise rights in Canada and began re-acquiring its franchisee locations in the eight largest airport markets in Canada. The Company operates corporate stores in all eight of the largest airport markets in Canada, which includes Calgary, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal, Halifax, Edmonton and Vancouver. The majority of the markets are operated under the Companys co-branding strategy in Canada where both the Dollar and Thrifty brands are represented at one shared location. These operations are important to maintaining a national airport presence in Canada, where DTG Canada has significant airport concessions and lease commitments.
Dollar sells its U.S. franchises on an exclusive basis for specific geographic areas, generally outside the top 75 airport markets. Most franchisees are located at or near airports that generate a lower volume of vehicle rentals than the airports served by Dollars company-owned stores.
In Canada, Dollar acquired the master franchise rights in 2003 and sells franchises in markets outside the top eight airport markets.
A new opportunity has been introduced in smaller U.S. and Canadian markets. The Company is offering franchisees the opportunity to dual franchise. That is, one franchisee can operate both the Dollar and the Thrifty brand, thus, allowing them to drive more business in their market while leveraging fixed costs.
Dollar licenses its franchisees to use the Dollar brand service marks in the vehicle rental and leasing and parking businesses. Franchisees pay Dollar an initial franchise fee generally based on the population, number of airline passengers, total airport vehicle rental revenues and the level of any other vehicle rental activity in the franchised territory, as well as other factors.
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System Fees In addition to an initial franchise fee, each U.S. franchisee is generally required to pay Dollar a system fee equal to 8% of airport rental revenue and 6% for suburban operations.
Franchisee Services and Products Dollar makes insurance coverage available to its franchisees and provides them with training and operational assistance, site selection guidance, vehicle leasing programs, vehicle damage recovery and claims management advice, sales assistance and image and standards guidance. Dollar also provides franchisees with fleet planning and customer satisfaction programs and sells them certain Dollar-branded supplies. In addition, Dollar offers its franchisees rental rate management analysis, centralized corporate account and tour billing and travel agent commission payments. Dollar franchisees pay Dollar a fee for each reservation made through Dollars worldwide reservation system.
Thrifty sells its U.S. franchises on an exclusive basis for specific geographic areas, generally outside the top 75 U.S. airport markets. Historically, Thrifty sold franchises more broadly; however, in 2003, Thrifty implemented a strategy to operate the top 75 U.S. markets as company-owned locations. In Canada, Thrifty sells franchises in markets outside the top eight Canadian airport markets.
A new opportunity has been introduced in smaller U.S. and Canadian markets. The Company is offering franchisees the opportunity to dual franchise, operating both the Thrifty and Dollar brand.
Thrifty licenses its franchisees to use the Thrifty brand service marks in the vehicle rental and leasing and parking businesses. Franchisees pay Thrifty an initial franchise fee generally based on the population, number of airline passengers, total airport vehicle rental revenues and the level of any other vehicle rental activity in the franchised territory, as well as other factors. Thrifty offers its franchisees a full line of products and services not easily or cost effectively available from other sources. Thrifty works closely with its franchisees in formulating and implementing marketing and operating strategies.
System Fees and Advertising Fees In addition to the initial franchise fee, Thriftys U.S. franchisees pay Thrifty an administrative fee, which is generally 3.0% of base rental revenue, excluding ancillary products. U.S. franchisees also pay an advertising fee ranging from 2.5% to 5.0% of base rental revenue to a separate advertising fund managed jointly by franchisees and Thrifty management.
For 2003, Thriftys five largest U.S. franchisees generated less than 5% of the Companys total revenue in the form of system, fleet leasing, reservation and other fees. Over the past five years, Thriftys franchisee turnover has averaged approximately 12% per year, with an average of 19 terminations and 16 new sales (including new territories added to existing franchise agreements) per year.
Franchisee Services and Products Thrifty provides its U.S. and Canadian franchisees with a full range of products and services, including vehicle leasing, insurance programs, reservations, site selection, computer systems, marketing programs and assistance, supplies, image and standards and training.
Canadian Franchisees A new program has been introduced in Canada allowing Canadian franchisees the opportunity to also acquire the Dollar brand and operate locations on a co-brand basis. All Canadian franchisees whether operating a single-brand or co-brand location pay a monthly fee generally equal to 8% of rental revenue.
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Summary of U.S. and Canada Franchise Operations Data
| As of December 31, | |||||||||||||||||
| 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | |||||||||||||||
Franchisee locations: |
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Dollar |
145 | 129 | 135 | ||||||||||||||
Thrifty |
368 | 450 | 541 | ||||||||||||||
Total franchisee locations |
513 | 579 | 676 | ||||||||||||||
Franchisees: |
|||||||||||||||||
Dollar |
78 | 56 | 61 | ||||||||||||||
Thrifty |
170 | 187 | 212 | ||||||||||||||
Total franchisees |
248 | 243 | 273 | ||||||||||||||
Dollar and Thrifty offer master franchises outside the United States and Canada, generally on a countrywide basis. Each master franchise is permitted to operate within their franchised territory directly or through subfranchisees. At December 31, 2003, Dollar had franchised locations in 24 countries and Thrifty had franchised locations in 60 countries outside the United States and Canada. These locations are in Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific regions. Beginning in 2003, the Company is offering franchisees the opportunity to license the rights to operate both the Dollar and Thrifty brands in certain markets on a dual franchise or co-brand basis. Revenue generated by the Company from franchised operations outside the United States and Canada totaled $4.5 million in 2003.
In December 1998, Thrifty Car Sales was formed to operate its new franchise system, Thrifty Car Sales, which sells primarily late model, low mileage used vehicles. Thrifty Car Sales provides an opportunity for both independent and manufacturer franchised dealers to enhance or expand their used car operations under a well-recognized national brand name. In addition to the use of the brand name, dealers have access to a variety of products and services offered by Thrifty Car Sales. These products and services include operational and marketing support, vehicle supply services, customized retail and wholesale financing programs as well as national accounts and supplies programs. As of December 31, 2003, Thrifty Car Sales had 53 franchise locations in operation.
The Internet is an important source of reservations for the Company. For the year ended December 31, 2003, approximately 52% of Dollars total non-tour reservations and 55% of Thriftys total reservations came through the Internet. Dollars Internet web site (dollar.com) provided approximately 25% of total non-tour reservations for Dollar and Thriftys web site (thrifty.com) provided approximately 27% of total reservations for Thrifty. The Company has continuously staffed reservation facilities for Dollar and Thrifty at its headquarters in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and at its facility in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. Dollar and Thrifty reservation systems are linked to all major airline reservation systems and through such systems to travel agencies in the United States, Canada and abroad.
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Dollar positions itself as a premier value car rental company in the travel industry, providing on airport convenience with low rates on quality vehicles. Customers who rent from Dollar are cost conscious leisure, tour and business travelers who want to save money on car rentals without compromising fundamental car rental services. Dollar implements this strategy through national advertising, strategic marketing partnerships and enhancing distribution channels.
Advertising and Promotion
Dollar employs national advertising primarily in newspapers. Dollar has shifted its traditional media mix of print and network/cable television to its current emphasis on Internet advertising, where it has made significant investments. In all of its advertising, Dollar promotes dollar.com, its award winning web site, to encourage travelers to book reservations with Dollar through this low cost channel. Dollar encourages franchisees, as well as local management of company-owned stores, to develop local market relationships and retail sales initiatives that coordinate with Dollars national advertising programs.
Dollar has made filings under the intellectual property laws of jurisdictions in which it or its franchisees operate, including the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, to protect the names, logos and designs identified with Dollar. These marks are important for customer awareness and selection of Dollar for vehicle rental.
Strategic Marketing Efforts
During 2003, the volume of reservations Dollar received through its dollar.com web site and other Internet web sites totaled approximately 52% of its total non-tour reservations. Dollar has made significant investments in dollar.com and has plans to continually enhance the web site to best meet its customers needs. Additionally, Dollars innovative use of direct-connect technology with the Southwest Airlines site, southwest.com, opened up another new booking channel in 2001, and it has continued to grow through 2003.
Approximately 19% of Dollars non-tour reservations are booked through travel agencies utilizing the major airline global distribution systems. Major travel chains and consortia operate under preferred supplier agreements with Dollar, and are supported by the Dollar sales department. Under its preferred supplier agreements, Dollar provides these travel agency accounts guaranteed commission levels and overrides/marketing funds in return for promoting Dollar and giving Dollar a priority in their reservation systems. In general, these agreements are not exclusive to Dollar, and many travel agency accounts have similar arrangements with other vehicle rental companies. Dollar also maintains strong relations with many significant overseas tour operators who specialize in inbound tour packages to the United States. Dollar has also developed strategic marketing partnerships and frequent flyer programs.
Thrifty positions itself as an industry leader in delivering value for vehicle rental to value-conscious consumers. In the United States, it implements this strategy primarily through national advertising, strategic marketing partnerships and enhancing distribution channels. In addition, marketing assistance is provided to U.S. franchisees in local advertising, promotion and sales.
Advertising and Promotion
Thrifty employs national advertising on U.S. broadcast and cable television networks and in newspapers and travel industry and airline magazines, as well as new media advertising via the Internet. Thrifty also sponsors sports and other events to increase national exposure and promote local Thrifty operations. In the United States, Thriftys national advertising and marketing expenses are paid out of an advertising fund managed by a national advertising committee consisting of representatives of Thrifty franchisees and certain members of Thrifty management. U.S. franchisees and company-owned
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stores contribute 5% of their base rental revenue from airport operations and 2.5% of their base rental revenue from local operations to the advertising fund.
Thrifty has made filings under the intellectual property laws of jurisdictions in which it or its franchisees operate, including the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, to protect the names, logos and designs identified with Thrifty. These marks are important for customer awareness and selection of Thrifty for vehicle rental.
Strategic Marketing Efforts
During 2003, the volume of reservations Thrifty received through its thrifty.com web site and other Internet travel sites totaled approximately 55% of its total reservations. Thrifty continues to invest in its thrifty.com web site and recently introduced a new and easier means of booking on thrifty.com.
Thrifty enjoys a strong relationship with the travel agency community, which is highlighted by its longstanding support of ASTA (American Society of Travel Agents) and through its preferred supplier arrangements. Under its preferred supplier arrangements, Thrifty provides these travel agency groups additional commissions or lower prices in return for their featuring Thrifty in their advertising or giving Thrifty a priority in their reservation systems. In general, these arrangements are not exclusive to Thrifty, and many travel agency groups have similar arrangements with other vehicle rental companies. Thrifty continues to be the exclusive car rental supplier in Radissons Look to Book program. Thrifty has also developed strategic partnerships with most U.S. airlines through participation in their frequent flyer programs.
In 2003, the Thrifty relationship with Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (Wal-Mart) expanded to include a test of rental counters inside a limited number of Wal-Mart stores. Thriftys relationship with Wal-Mart includes an exclusive marketing and sales agreement and has resulted in Thrifty being named co-primary supplier of rental cars for Wal-Marts corporate travel and an exclusive marketing and sales agreement with Wal-Mart.com to provide anytime, anywhere flat rate pricing for Thriftys compact and intermediate size rental vehicles. Thrifty is also the only car rental company approved to accept the Wal-Mart credit card.
The Company has programs at its headquarters and in company-owned stores to improve customer service. These programs involve customer satisfaction training and team-based problem solving, especially as it relates to improving customer service. The Companys customer service centers measure customer satisfaction, track service quality trends, respond to customer inquiries and provide recommendations to senior management and vehicle rental location supervisors. The Company conducts initial and ongoing training for headquarters, company-owned store and franchisee employees, using professional trainers, performance coaches and computer-based training programs.